15 Common Social Media Mistakes Small Businesses Make

Social media is a valuable marketing and customer service tool. It allows businesses to reach out to potential customers without having to spend large sums of money on advertisements or print materials. However, many small businesses do not recognize that social media can be a double-edged sword. There are already plenty of pitfalls for small businesses in the digital space, and knowing about these mistakes can help you avoid them.

In this blog post, you’ll find 15 common social media mistakes for small business owners.

1.) Using the Wrong Platforms

When a social media marketing company starts working with its first client, it is expected for them to provide a detailed strategy of how the business can make use of social media platforms. It is a common problem among marketing companies to suggest using platforms like Facebook and Twitter without knowing that these platforms do not impact their clients much.

2.) Leaning Too Much on Tools

Social media tools such as Hootsuite and Tweetdeck are great for scheduling posts, and monitoring feeds, but one cannot rely solely on these tools to get the desired results. While it is important to know what one’s followers are saying, engaging with them and actively making them interested in your small business is more important.

3.) Ignoring Ratings and Review Websites

In the digital age, businesses should not be worried about the one-off negative reviews that might pop up on review sites. Instead, they should actively monitor these sites and reply to any negative feedback. This is because ratings and reviews on these sites can seriously impact your business as customers look at these sites before deciding to switch over to your business.

4.) Not Being Authentic

As cliché as it may sound, social media is about authenticity. People are tired of businesses trying to sell their products or services through every single post. A much better approach is to just be real about who you are and what you do in the digital space. Your followers will appreciate your honesty, and you will also receive valuable feedback from them.

5.) No Personal Touch

A business must always remember that social media is nothing but a digital platform. The main purpose of using social media tools is to create a personal connection with your customers. Your customers want to know who you are and what your values are as a person. So never forget to give them a bit of your personal touch while addressing them on social media platforms.

6.) Ignoring Complaints

Another mistake a social media marketing company can make is ignoring complaints on social media. If you ignore complaints, then you are merely ignoring your customers and not showing them the kind of attention they are looking for. Your most important customer is your current customer, who makes up the bulk of your revenue. And if you do not give them what they are looking for, then they will go elsewhere for it – that’s just the law of supply and demand.

7.) Taking Too Long to Respond

One of the most common mistakes small businesses make is that they do not respond in a timely fashion when a customer has an issue with them. In fact, social media is all about engaging with your customers and responding to their needs. If you do not engage your customers in a timely manner and reply to all the comments they make, it can cause your reputation and brand to suffer.

8.) Failing to Think Like a Customer

Another common mistake that small businesses make is failing to understand their potential customers’ requirements. Before you start posting on social media, ensure you know exactly what your target audience would like to see in your posts. This way, you can be sure that your campaigns will be effective and yield the desired results.

9.) Not Having a Strategy

Small businesses often think having a Facebook page is enough and can just post whatever they want whenever they want. But social media has become a powerful medium for advertising and requires a well-thought-out strategy.

10.) Not Understanding the Audience

Furthermore, social media has grown so much that it no longer remains just about Facebook and Twitter pages. As a small business owner, you need to understand that it can be used effectively for reaching out to your customers and targeting potential leads. In addition, different types of platforms are available, such as Google+, Instagram, and Pinterest, which can be used to reach a much larger audience.

11.) Not Buying Ads

Many businesses do not use social media advertising because they think it is too expensive. But the fact is that it is still cheaper than other forms of marketing and can deliver a large ROI if used correctly. You can create engaging ads on Facebook or YouTube that will get your message out, as well as help you reach a large number of new customers.

12.) Not Being Consistent

Another common mistake that small businesses make is to forget to update their social media page with relevant information regularly. You can lose your customers and have negative feedback if you do not respond in time or if they do not find any useful information on your social media page.

13.) Not Using Technology Effectively

While many businesses rely on social media to help reach out to their target audience, others think it is impossible with the growing technology and tools available. But the truth is that various tools, such as Instagram and Pinterest, can be used for digital marketing purposes.

14.) Posting Too Much Information

You need to remember that while you are posting on social media, your customers are not necessarily looking for every single piece of information you have. So it is good to look at the kind of information your customers find interesting and relevant to them and focus on that.

15.) Misusing Social Media

It should be well known that social media should be used for the intended purpose. Many people and even a social media marketing company can intentionally or unintentionally abuse social media platforms. This is because they think that it offers certain benefits that anyone can use. Some types of social media platforms, like Twitter and Facebook, are mostly used for individual purposes and should not be misused.

Contact Salk Rank

While social media is an excellent tool that can help businesses reach out to the right people, it is important to know where the pitfalls lie. By knowing and avoiding these mistakes, you can protect your reputation and your business. If you need help in this area, be sure to reach out to our team here at Salt Rank for assistance!